North Korean state media this week reported that young people are volunteering to work at construction sites in Pyongyang, presenting its heavy reliance on forced labor as the free choice of patriotic citizens.

The Rodong Sinmun and state television featured lengthy coverage of young people signing up to build new streets and vowing to devote themselves for the country.

State media also continued to reference the poor state of food supplies in the country. DPRK Today praised government ministries and organizations for donating grain, state TV ran hours of old footage about the sacrifices of